Military tech is constantly advancing. Often, the focus is on the “big guns.” Undoubtedly, weapons are a big part of what wins the war, so news like Russia’s rapid-fire nukes certainly garners a lot of attention. However, cyberwarfare is emerging as a very important battlefront. Meanwhile, less flashy developments such as the ability to monitor a soldier’s health in real-time could also provide edges in any wars to come. Let’s take a gander at some of the most recent mil-tech advancements.
U.S. Soldiers May Soon Get Health Implants
No one’s going to doubt that soldiers often operate in stressful and dangerous environments. Keeping soldiers fit and healthy has long been a priority for the military, but even with frequent checkups and monitoring, it can be difficult. This is especially true during active combat.
In order to keep a better eye on soldiers, the American military is considering implantable monitoring devices. Basically, soldiers would be implanted with sensors that would then regularly update information. Medical professionals would then have access to this data, which could be used to identify problems before they snowball.
(Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Jon Sullivan)
Essentially, a chip would be implanted into a soldier’s wrist. This chip would then be able to monitor oxygen levels, blood sugar levels, sleep data, and other vitals. Not only would the military be able to keep an eye on soldiers, but they could also determine who’s fit for duty/combat and who’s not. This could turn out to be a big deal on the battlefront, allowing the military to know it is sending its fittest soldiers into battle.
Russian Nuclear Sub “Machine Gun” Launches Nukes
The Gatling gun changed the face of modern warfare with its rapid-fire capabilities. Now, the Russian nuclear sub Yuri Dolgoruky is shaking up the nuclear arms race with its ability to launch four nuclear missiles in just fifteen seconds. This would give the sub the ability to devastate multiple cities in a matter of seconds.
Yuri Dolgoruky conducting sea trials circa 2010 (Credit: Wikimedia Commons /Schekinov Alexey Victorovich)
This 525-foot long nuclear sub belongs to the Borei-class, features an unlimited range (due to its nuclear propulsion system), and is among the most advanced Russian tech in service. Each Borei-class sub can carry up to 16 Bulava missiles. Each Bulava, in turn, carries six multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicles (MIRVs). Each vehicle is equipped with a 100 kiloton nuke. To put that into perspective, that’s 6 times as powerful as the nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima.
DARPA Holding a Fake Face Busting Contest
The U.S. military is increasingly worried that AI and Internet “fakes” will pose a grave threat to national security. One specific area that the military is worried about is fake media content. Imagine if a terrorist organization were to create a fake video feed of Russian President Vladimir Putin or U.S. President Donald Trump talking about the need to strike one another first. Such a video could set off a war.
Worrisomely, fake videos are getting increasingly difficult to tell apart from the real thing. “Deepfakes,” which stick a person’s face onto another person’s body, are especially difficult to pick apart. While video and cyber experts can generally sort out the fake from the real, that may not be possible in a few years.
That’s why DARPA is holding a contest this summer. America’s leading digital forensics experts will gather to both create fake videos and tools to automatically detect such fakes. However, DARPA and forensic experts are already warning that the battle may have already been lost.
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